To Give Or Not To Give
by Em Kay Who
Summary: After Rose and the Doctor agree not to exchange Christmas presents, the Doctor begins to doubt whether or not he should still get her something.


_This is my super belated dwsecretsanta gift for elialys! on tumblr My apologies. I was set to post this on Christmas Eve but technical difficulties *cough I lost my laptop charger cough* kept me from doing that. I hope you had a Merry Christmas and will have a Happy New Year 3_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or anything related._

_Prompt: Tentoo struggling to find a gift for Rose and going to Jackie for help._

* * *

"Wait, you're seriously telling me that you didn't get Rose _anything_ for Christmas this year?!" Jake Simmonds stated in shock.

It was December 23rd and the Doctor was in the Torchwood canteen having lunch. While Rose and the Doctor didn't work full time for Torchwood they were there more often then not, assisting in various capacities from Research and Development to training new hires, like Rose was doing with her father now, leaving the Doctor to catch up with Jake and Jake's team. Being so close to Christmas, the subject of last minute shopping and presents naturally came up.

"That's rough, mate," a Welsh man named Rhys told him between bites of crisps.

The Doctor sat down the banana he had just started to peel. "What do you mean? We agreed not to do presents this year."

"Yeah, I'm sure you did. Cerys and I say the same thing to each other every year and every year we get each other something," Rhys replied. "I don't even want to imagine her reaction if she handed me a gift and I didn't have anything for her."

Jake nodded. "He's right, Doc. Rose is going to be expecting something."

"But we agreed no gifts!" the Doctor exclaimed. "Has she said something to you?"

The blonde held up his hands. "Not at all! But I know Rose and Rose loves getting presents."

He wasn't wrong. Rose really did love getting little surprises. The Doctor was always picking up bits and bobs for her here and there whenever he saw something that he though she might fancy. That was why he was a little shocked when she had suggested not exchanging gifts with each other that year. When she had explained her reasoning though, it had made sense. They had had a busy year. A wedding, a honeymoon, moving into a new home. On top of that, they were planning a big family holiday to Disneyland with her parents during her brother Tony's upcoming Easter break (something he would be finding out about Christmas morning). With all that going on it had made sense not to spend money on gifts, but maybe Jake and Rhys were right. Maybe Rose was really hoping for him to surprise her. After all, he had a lot to live up to after last year's present had been an engagement ring he had personally designed himself.

"It was her idea though," he muttered, his right hand inching up to tug at his hair.

"She's testing you, mate," Rhys responded.

"Testing me?"

"What do you think, Tosh? You're a woman."

Jake's tech expert glared at the Welsh man. "Ta for noticing." Taking a sip of water, she continued. "Listen, Doctor, Rose isn't one to play games. I highly doubt that she's testing you, but this is only your second Christmas since you've been reunited and your first as a married couple. I know if it was me I would be hoping for at least a _little_ something."

"Even if you said you didn't want to exchange gifts?" the partial Time Lord asked, even more confused than before.

"Even then. That's just me though."

"But, it's the day before Christmas Eve. I wouldn't even know what to get her."

"Maybe you could try asking her mum if she's mentioned anything specific that she wanted."

"Ask Jackie?"

Jake chuckled. "Oh yeah. Asking Jackie is definitely your best bet."

* * *

"Doctor, what are you doing here? Where's Rose?" Jackie asked, surprised to see the Doctor un her kitchen without her daughter stuck to his side.

"Uh, Rose is still at Torchwood helping Pete train some new hires."

She nodded and continued bustling about her kitchen, flour coating the apron she was wearing. "Well, Tony's not here. He's at his friend Artie's house for a little playdate while I get some baking done."

The Doctor sighed and began scratching the back of his neck. "I'm not here to see Tony. I'm actually here to see you."

"Me? Blimey, what for?"

"Can't I just pop around to have a cuppa with my mother-in-law?"

Jackie made a face. "No."

"Fine," the Doctor threw himself down a nearby stool, "I'm here because I need your advice about what to get Rose for Christmas. I need to know if she mentioned anything in particular to you or Pete."

"I thought you two decided not to exchange presents this year. That's what Rose told me."

"Well, we did. Or I thought we did. But I had lunch with Jake and his team and they all said I still needed to get Rose something and that I should ask you for advice. So here I am. Asking for advice."

Jackie stifled a smile as she sat a mug of tea in front of him and took her own seat. "You must be really desperate then."

"Jackie..." the Doctor groaned.

"Oh hush, I'm just teasing."

"Any ideas?"

"Oh loads of them, but nothing that's going to help you."

"What?"

The older woman shook her head. "She said she didn't want to exchange presents this year. Don't you trust my daughter, Doctor?"

His eyes widened. "Of course I do!"

"Well, then stop letting those Torchwood numpties get inside your head."

"Wait, do you think they could do that? I know I'm only part Time Lord now, but I'm pretty sure I'd be able to tell if someone was trying to manipulate me telepathically."

Jackie reached a hand over and slapped the Doctor's arm. "Not literally, you pillock. Besides, what does Jake know? He's been single every Christmas since I've met 'im."

"True, but Rhys has been married to his wife Cerys for five years. And Tosh is a woman so she has to have some insight."

"Doctor. Every person and relationship is different. And lord knows yours and Rose's relationship is exceptionally different."

"Are you and Pete exchanging gifts?"

She waved a hand. "Oh, we usually get each other a little something. Nothing big though."

He slumped. "Right."

"I genuinely don't think you need to get her anything, Doctor. But if you're that concerned about it, you can never go wrong with jewelry."

The Doctor hung his head in defeat.

* * *

"Did you see Tony's face when he realized what the tickets said? I'm so happy Dad was recording because that was too sweet." Rose sat on their bed in the Tyler's mansion and picked up the new tablet her parents had given her that morning. "I told him we could set up a countdown calendar on his bedroom wall tomorrow to help him keep track of the days until we leave. Hopefully that'll keep 'im from asking Mum and Dad how much longer everyday!"

The Doctor finished changing into his pajamas and sat down beside her. "Yeah, we probably should have waited until closer to Easter break before giving him that surprise."

She laughed. "Probably, but it helped explain why he was getting all the Disney themed clothes and backpack."

"True."

"Hey," Rose sat down the tablet and twisted her body to face his, "you okay? You've been a bit quiet today. Not getting sick are you? The flu's been making its way round Torchwood according to dad's assistant."

"Time Lords don't get the flu," he replied automatically.

She smiled. "Of course, my mistake. Really though, you okay?"

The Doctor internally debated for a minute about whether he should tell her what was troubling him. In the past, he would have shrugged it off and distracted her with a silly story about some planet he had visited before or taken her to have ice cream with Britney Spears, but things were different now. They were different. "Rose, are you disappointed I didn't have a present for you today?"

"What?" Rose frowned. "Of course not. We agreed not to get each other anything, remember? Are you upset I didn't get _you_ anything?"

"No! Not at all!" he exclaimed.

"Then what's all this about?"

"It's silly really, but I was talking with Jake and a few others the last time we were at Torchwood and they suggested that you would still want something despite what we agreed."

"Seriously?"

"Rhys said you were testing me. Tosh disagreed with him, but said if she was you she would still hope for some sort of present."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Doctor, I'm not the type of girl who likes to test her bloke like that. I mean, maybe when I was teenager, but I'm a lot older now. Why would you listen to those numpties about our relationship?"

The Doctor snorted. "Your mum called them the same thing."

"You talked to my mum about this?"

"It was suggested to me that I should maybe ask her advice about what to get you. She called me an idiot though and told me I needed to trust you and what we agreed on."

"You're not an idiot, but my mum is right about one thing. You need to trust me."

"I do!"

"Good." She leaned forward and gave him a sweet peck on the lips. "I told you I didn't want to do presents this year because we've all ready given each other so much. All I need is you next to me, your hand in mine."

A wide grin spread across his face. "That's all I need too."

"Good. Though, I am surprised mum didn't tell you to buy me jewelry." She smirked. "That's her go to."

"Oh, she did. But it was too late for me to have anything I designed made and I couldn't find anything pre-made that felt like you."

"You've designed me jewelry?" she asked, her tongue peaking out between her teeth.

"Rose Tyler, I have a whole head full of designs just for you!"

"Tell you what then, we should absolutely exchange anniversary presents and you should for sure give me something you designed."

"Sounds like a good plan to me," the Doctor agreed. "But now you've already got a hint of what you'll get. Will I get a get a hint when you know what you're getting me?"

Rose bit her lip and moved to straddle his lap. "Oh, I have a few ideas..."


End file.
